


A Life Lived Day to Day

by LizAnn_5869



Series: Small Beautiful Events are what Life is All About [3]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Drabbles, F/M, Fluff, Life on the slow path, Love, Mild Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-13 08:30:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5701804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizAnn_5869/pseuds/LizAnn_5869
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>These are short fics and drabbles about the Metacrisis Doctor and Rose's life on Pete's World.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wherever You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Tentoo, on their first morning in their home on Pete's World.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Anonymous on Tumblr, who wanted Tentoo x Rose, first morning in their flat. (I changed it to a guest house to fit in with what I'd established in this series.) Anonymous wanted fluff, and so here is some fluff with a bit of angst on the side.

Rose woke alone in the guest cottage on the Tyler Estate on the first morning after their zeppelin arrived back in London from Norway. 

She hadn't gone to sleep alone, however. The Doctor and she had collapsed into the bed together, completely knackered. They'd gotten a few hours of sleep before the first nightmare had startled him awake. The second nightmare had claimed her not long after they'd dozed back off. He had wrapped himself around her as completely as he could, and his embrace had been a comfort to them both.

But now, he wasn't with her and she allowed herself a moment of panic. She sat up, still exhausted from a poor night’s sleep, achy from months of running and fighting. She spied maroon chucks on the floor and a blue pinstriped jacket thrown haphazardly on the chair, and it calmed her somewhat. He didn't have any other shoes. He couldn't exactly leave barefoot. She imagined him brooding downstairs, ruminating over being trapped here, Earthbound until the TARDIS grew enough for him to escape to the stars, with or without her. Exhaustion did nothing to quell her anxiety.

Rose was distracted from her dark thoughts after hearing a loud thud downstairs. It was followed immediately by a male voice swearing colorfully. She'd often heard that voice in the TARDIS, and in her dreams, but never swearing so vehemently. Apparently he'd inherited Donna’s talent for creative swearing.

The other thought that crossed her mind was that he didn't particularly sound like a man brooding over his existence. 

Rose startled at the sound of an another crash and more cursing. Emotionally, she was still all over the map so it struck her funny and she began to chuckle even as the tears bloomed and fell. Laughing and crying at the same time, she crawled out of bed and snatched up a dressing gown she'd borrowed from her mum. 

Downstairs, she discovered the Doctor sweeping up a mess of egg, flour and shattered mixing bowl from the floor. “Ah! Rose! Well…...erm, good morning. Breakfast will be served. Eventually.”

More laughter bubbled up and Rose found herself suddenly unable to speak, barely able to breathe as she shook from sobs and silent laughter. 

“Rose? What's wrong, love? Are you crying?” He dropped the broom and crossed the room, wrapping her in his arms. He rocked her back and forth, kissing her temple. “Sweetheart?”

Rose drew in a great shuddering sigh and declared, “I...I'm a mess. I didn't sleep well...and you weren't in the bed this morning...I was alone, and...well, I'm just being ridiculous.”

The Doctor kissed Rose tenderly, stopping her frantic rambling explanation. “I am so, so sorry. I didn't think about you waking alone. I was too restless to sleep. I suppose I'm a bit of a mess, too.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Doctor,” Rose explained. “I suppose I let myself fall apart.”

The Doctor drew her in for another embrace. It reminded her of how he had held her under a black hole on an impossible planet, until he kissed her temple again. He hadn't done that back then. He murmured, “You're allowed to fall apart. When I think of all you've seen and have had to do….you amaze me, Rose Tyler. I love you.” 

Her eyes filled with tears again. “Have I told you I'm so glad you're here with me?” 

He was silent, burying his face in her neck, sagging against her with a sigh. After a bit, he pulled back and Rose was startled to see tears spilling down his cheeks. “I’m glad to be here, love. I’m always glad to be where you are.”

Rose wiped the tears from his cheeks, giving him a watery smile. “Well then, I don’t plan to be anywhere other than where you are.” The Doctor kissed her then, slowly and deeply, taking his time. 

Until the smoke detector in the kitchen began to beep shrilly. The Doctor tore himself away from Rose, crying, “Bollocks! The banana bread!” and ran for the kitchen.

A while later, they sat together in the messy kitchen, windows open for ventilation, as they tucked into some beans on toast and a lovely cup of tea. For the first time since her arrival in Pete’s World, the cottage felt like home. They decided to try for the banana bread another time.


	2. Bedtime (Rose)

Rose Tyler made a discovery about the Doctor once they were settled into the little guest house on the Tyler estate, living the domestic life on the slow path, day after day.

The Doctor was a bed hog. Always. He'd end up with the covers, with his head half on her pillow, long limbs splayed out. She learned to deal with inadvertent elbows to the shoulder, (and one memorable night, to the head.) 

At first it was disruptive to her sleep, and she had a hard time sleeping anyway. Even with him there with her, she'd wake, sweaty and nearly screaming from nightmares.

One night early on, she was on the cusp of sleep, and the visions of things she'd seen, horrible atrocities in other universes stole in and she felt paralyzed. She knew she was in her bed but it was a dream she couldn't wake from. It was almost like she was a spectator to her own horror. Then the bed shifted and she felt a warm body tucked up behind her and the sleepy weight of an arm on her waist. The Doctor was reclaiming the middle of the bed again, and it was enough to jolt her from her terror and break free from the paralysis. 

She never complained about him being a bed hog after that.

And eventually, they began to claim the middle of the bed together, wide awake. They did things there they only dreamed of when they flew in the TARDIS. 

Rose came to expect the little jostles in the night, the missing blankets and nudges and his warm breath in her ear. She wouldn't want it any other way.


	3. Bedtime (The Doctor)

The Doctor was constantly learning things about this new human body of his. He needed the brainy specs now. They were not just for show. His back hurt hunched over in one position for too long. Time was, he could be wedged under the TARDIS console and spend a whole day making repairs, and come out just as limber as he was when he went in. The days of superior muscles and ligaments were gone. 

The worst was the sleep. He very rarely needed it, and he thought probably, Rose never saw him sleep as a full Time Lord. Now, to his disgruntlement, he dozed off at the drop of a hat. Sit down to watch TV? Out like a light. Midway through "Great Expectations?" Gone, snoring. In the middle of a Torchwood briefing? Lights out. (And Rose was still laughing about that one. In his defense, the room was hot and the presenter was dull.)

At night, he collapsed into bed and dozed. He was a restless sleeper. He had his own theory about why. His 900 plus years of memories were volatile fuel for nightmares. His TARDIS was lost in the prime universe, and the absence of the telepathic connection was like losing a limb. it was gone, but there was always a phantom pain. The baby TARDIS was just beginning to tickle his telepathic consciousness, which was dulled by the metacrisis. 

But, the Doctor realized, when he touched Rose, the empty space filled somewhat. She called it being a bed hog. He realized he was seeking her out in his sleep to touch, to feel her presence in his mind.

One night early on, he was deeply sleeping. Rose lay next to him, close enough to feel some thoughts and emotions, but not quite touching. He realized later that the terror and sadness coming off her had been like sonar waves, sending a distress call. She was having a night terror, paralyzed in sleep, a helpless hostage to the horror film playing in her mind. He didn't realize he was moving, so deep was his own sleep. 

The Doctor rolled onto his side, and slung an arm over her. The jostling of the bed jolted her out of her terror, and he could feel the relief coming off her in great cresting waves. Both of them slept, tightly wrapped around the other, until the morning.

Rose didn't call him a bed hog after that.

Eventually, they figured out a way to share the space in the middle of the bed, both in sleep, soundly and awake, in pleasure. 

Navigating the changes the metacrisis had brought about were so much easier, so much better, with a hand to hold.


	4. All the Stars in the Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor comforts a scared Tony shortly after arriving in Pete's World.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @timepetalsprompts drabble prompt "shadows." Or a loose interpretation thereof.

On the their second night in the Tyler mansion, the Doctor was sleepless and even Rose's warm body next to him was no balm for his nerves. 

The Doctor couldn't turn his mind off.

He rolled over onto his back, restless. Afraid he'd wake Rose, he slid out of bed. 

He tiptoed down the hall. That's when he heard it, a low, mournful sobbing coming from a bedroom. 

Tony was awake, crying in his room. Unable to resist a crying child, the Doctor quietly let himself into the boy's room. "Hey, mate," he whispered. "What's wrong?"

"Moon's gone," Tony cried. "Just like the stars. It's just all gone and Mummy and Rosie will leave again to go looking for it and I don't want them to!"

The Doctor's heart broke for Tony. He could sense the moon phases and he knew there was a simple explanation. "It's a new moon. When it's a new moon, we see the side of the moon where it’s night and it's hard to see. But it's there."

"Really?" Tony squeaked.

"Absolutely!” The Doctor considered it briefly and then decided Jackie's wrath would be worth it if Tony calmed down. "Wanna go explore?"

"Yeah!" Tony said eagerly.

The Doctor held his finger to his lips and lead Tony downstairs. Tony couldn't resist a giggle. The sound woke Rose.

 

The Doctor and Tony made their way out to the dark, shadowy back garden. He picked Tony up and pointed at the sky. "What do you see?"

"Stars!" Tony breathed. He was in awe. "Rosie found 'em!"

The Doctor grinned warmly. "Rosie did. She's brilliant. And even if you can't see the moon..."

"'Cos it's nighttime.”

"Quite right. And all the stars are safe….”

"'Cos of Rosie!" Tony announced proudly.

The Doctor heard a little sob behind him and turned to see Rose, wiping her eyes. He gestured to her. She joined them, wrapping an arm around the Doctor's waist. "Yes," the Doctor murmured. 

"Rosie did a good job," Tony decided. Rose kissed his cheek and then kissed the Doctor's lips. 

"That she did," the Doctor agreed.


	5. The New Adventures of Rose and Her Doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose find themselves on the cusp of grand new adventures in Pete's World.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A gif on tumblr of a steaming cup of tea and an open book on a table inspired me to write this chapter. It is not Drabble length, but I cut as much as I could! For @timepetals prompts weekly prompt "anticipation."

Rose woke alone, vaguely remembering that earlier, the Doctor had jostled her awake by trying to be quiet. The sun had been barely coming up then, it was late morning now.

She found him downstairs in their small kitchen, reading a book and drinking tea at the table. He'd already set out her pink rose-patterned teacup. "Mornin'," she greeted him huskily, dropping a kiss to the top of his head. He smiled happily.

"Look, Rose, look what I found in Pete's library this morning! 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood!' I suppose in this universe, he finished it! That's brilliant!"

Rose poured some tea. "You've already been over to the mansion?"

"You weren't awake, so I went for a walk around the grounds. Pete was having his breakfast outside with Tony. Your little brother is fantastic, by the way."

Rose grinned proudly. "He is," she agreed. "A handful, but yeah."

"He's told me things about dinosaurs here that I'm going to have to research. That boy and I simply must explore the science museum."

Rose arched an eyebrow. "So you can tell 'em what they got wrong?" 

He laughed. "In the prime universe, maybe. But this is all new. It's not all that different, I suppose, but finding all the differences....what an adventure that will be!"

Rose couldn't help but mirror his wide smile. She recalled that she had hated this new universe when she arrived, and here he was behaving like Tony on Christmas. She shook her head and laughed.

"What?" he asked.

"I just love you," she answered. He pulled her onto his lap and answered her declaration nonverbally. After a few minutes they broke apart to breathe, and Rose rested her forehead against his. He chuckled happily.

"Those bookshelves around the fireplace are embarrassingly bare," he announced suddenly.

She glanced across the room to the empty bookshelves around their fireplace. "Most of my books are on my tablet, other than the physics textbooks in the box under my bed. I never really expected to stay here."

"Are you satisfied to stay here now?" The Doctor asked, brow furrowed.

"I am satisfied as long as I have you," she answered honestly. 

The Doctor smiled again. "That's good. We'll be out in the stars someday.....but, for now..." He trailed off.

"Just you. S'all I need." 

He kissed her slowly and deeply and when the kiss ebbed away he had completely forgotten the point he was trying to make. "Brilliant. Where was I?"

"Bookshelves?"

"Ah, yes. We'll get your physics books up there, of course, they get a place of honor. You can't fill a bookshelf with e-books on a tablet. I'm picturing trips to bookstores and souvenirs from our travels here on earth. We'll fill them up. Won't be like the TARDIS' library, but it will do nicely."

Rose caressed his cheek. "It will?"

"Yes, don't look so sad. It will. I'm satisfied as long as I have you. Now, Rose Tyler, I have an idea. Pete gave me a list of several bookstores he likes. I thought, if you were agreeable, we could go out and find some of these places and start our own collection."

Rose snickered. "You want to shop on a Sunday afternoon? You always rolled your eyes and and groaned when I suggested it before!"

He scoffed. "This isn't shopping, Rose. This is the thrill of the chase. The hunt. This is us, anticipating a grand adventure right here on our own new, new Earth, minus the cat nuns." Rose burst out laughing as he dislodged her from his lap. "Up you get, love! We need to get dressed and go!" 

"Allons-y?" 

"Now, that's the spirit, Rose Tyler!"

****

Over time, they discovered bookstores and cafes and chip shops Rose had never seen before. Sometimes they found trouble, but the trouble was just the bits in between their grand discoveries.

As they explored, their collection of books grew along with the souvenirs they bought. Eventually, the TARDIS grew and they explored the stars. Their TARDIS grew a library, too, but the Doctor and Rose always had a special place in their hearts for the one they began together in a small guest cottage on the Tyler estate.


	6. It's the Little Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of the differences in the new universe are pretty fantastic, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a different take on the "serenity" drabble prompt from @timepetalsprompts.

"Rose!" 

She poked her head out of the kitchen. "Yes?"

"Did you see this? In the other universe there was only one series of 'Firefly!' Here there's....six? Really?"

"Yeah, that's right," she called back. "There's no 'Serenity' movie either."

"So, then, does anybody die?" 

Rose came out of the kitchen, bearing popcorn. "Everybody lives," she grinned.

"What else is different?"

"JK Rowling wrote a series of Marauders books, all the Beatles are still alive, and I told you about 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood.'." 

"Fantastic!" he enthused.

Rose plopped down next to him, patting his leg. "It's the little things, she laughed."


	7. Peaceful Easy Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They travel, even when their TARDIS isn't ready. Tonight they sleep in the desert with a million stars all around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @timepetalsprompts drabble prompt "feelings" and inspired by the Eagles song "Peaceful, Easy Feeling."

Basking in the afterglow under a sky lit with millions of stars, the Doctor snuggles closer to Rose. Their warm, bare bodies are still entangled in the sleeping bag as Rose succumbs to sleep. Before he dozes off he gazes at the diamond sky, realizing he doesn't feel a pull to be out there. For once, the Doctor feels peace, and he is content to be in Rose's arms. He nuzzles her hair and drifts off into deep, dreamless sleep. The stars will still be there when their TARDIS is ready.


	8. Boisterous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose observes her husband and kids playing together on a lovely fall day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For @timepetalsprompts weekly drabble prompt "boisterous."  
> Also for the Fall Fic fest prompt "outdoor activities." This chapter is farther along in the Doctor and Rose's timeline than the previous five chapters have been. As I add to this I might adjust the chapter order so it's a later one.  
> Without further ado, Rose watches Tentoo, Susannah, Jack, Jamie and toddler Stella play in the leaves......

Watching the Doctor play in the leaf piles with their four children was  
like watching puppies run free in a field. There was chasing and tackling, and some accidental biting (but she had admonished Jamie and patched up Jack so all was well), just like a litter of pups. And her husband was the lead puppy. She could imagine him as a chocolate lab, all gangly limbed and brown, rolling about in the leaves. 

Rose loved that about him. He was the perfect combination of a boisterous child and loving dad, and she couldn't imagine life any other way. She couldn't imagine him any other way. 

There was only one thing left for her to do. She took off at run and joined in.


End file.
